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Little Gale Gumbo
When Camille and her two teenage daughters fled New Orleans for the island of Little Gale off the coast of Maine, the islanders were initially more suspicious than welcoming. Twenty-five years later, Camille's Creole restaurant, The Little Gale Gumbo Cafe, has become an island staple, as has the legacy of her romance with islander Ben Haskell. But when Ben is found unconscious in his home, next to the body of Camille's estranged husband, old secrets and suspicions reemerge, and the family must reunite to hope for Ben's survival.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2011
8 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Erika Marks
18 books219 followersHello, fellow reader! I am the NAL author of women's fiction set by the sea. My fifth novel, THE LAST TREASURE, follows the love triangle between three treasure hunters searching for a mysterious shipwreck on the Outer Banks, and comes ashore on August 2, 2016. I love meeting with book clubs via Skype--so stop by my website to learn how we can set up a chat!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 15, 2011
This 400-page contemporary fiction novel is written with a Maine setting so rich with sensory detail that the state has now moved up on my list of places I must visit. The story is about a woman and her daughters beginning a new life by letting Fate determine where they land. They end up on an island off the coast of Maine called Little Gale Island. The residents of this sleepy community are hesitant to take in the Bergeron woman as their Creole heritage is as foreign to Mainers as a palm tree. Ben Haskell and his teenage son Matthew are the first to befriend them as Ben rents them an upstairs apartment in his home. Town gossip swirls around Camille and her daughters, Dahlia and Josie, as they try to adjust to their strange surroundings. By opening her café, Camille begins to thaw the hearts of the locals through her delicious gumbo and mouth-watering pralines as well as through her warm spirit. Their story bounces back and forth between present day and to 1977 as it weaves the threads of a painful past with a tragic present until the conflicts finally come together like a powerful storm.
This is a story about family, love, heartbreak, abuse, fear, sibling rivalry, second chances, letting go, regret, and forgiveness. The thing I really loved about it was that the characters were all so real to me. Each one had such a unique personality that I could feel their presence lifting off the page as I read. The rich description of the island's setting and Camille's cooking put me on that island with the them. As I read this book, I felt like I was watching a movie. I could picture in my mind each location, each scene, each character, each tense moment. I was right there every time on the edge of my seat. I cranked this book out in three days which is always a sign of a great story.
Erika does such a great job of evoking emotion in her scenes that I empathized with each and every character...except one. I'll leave that one for you to figure out. Another thing I loved was that there is a conversation guide, recipes from the story, and book club questions in the back of the book. I cannot wait to try my hand at gumbo now that I have a great recipe.
If you enjoy movies/books like Hope Floats or Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, I highly recommend Little Gale Gumbo.
This is a story about family, love, heartbreak, abuse, fear, sibling rivalry, second chances, letting go, regret, and forgiveness. The thing I really loved about it was that the characters were all so real to me. Each one had such a unique personality that I could feel their presence lifting off the page as I read. The rich description of the island's setting and Camille's cooking put me on that island with the them. As I read this book, I felt like I was watching a movie. I could picture in my mind each location, each scene, each character, each tense moment. I was right there every time on the edge of my seat. I cranked this book out in three days which is always a sign of a great story.
Erika does such a great job of evoking emotion in her scenes that I empathized with each and every character...except one. I'll leave that one for you to figure out. Another thing I loved was that there is a conversation guide, recipes from the story, and book club questions in the back of the book. I cannot wait to try my hand at gumbo now that I have a great recipe.
If you enjoy movies/books like Hope Floats or Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, I highly recommend Little Gale Gumbo.
October 5, 2011
The novel’s roots are set in New Orleans in 1977 when a street-smart, fast-talking musician charms his way into a young Creole girl’s heart. The two marry and have two daughters: Dahlia and Josephine. After enduring Charles’ affairs, illegal activities, and abuse, Camille flees New Orleans with her girls to start a new life where he can’t find them.
They end up in the small town of Little Gale, Maine, and while the town regards the colorful Southern girls with suspicion, their landlord, Ben, a single father with a kind heart, accepts them into his rooms and his life. The five of them make an unusual group, but they soon come to love and trust one another, even starting a cafe on the island where Camille’s famous gumbo charms the home-towners.
Their lives, however, end up far from idyllic. Charles finds the women and upsets their lives every time he gets out of prison. His disruptions become more and more frustrating until finally, after many years pass, he turns up dead at Ben’s house, and Ben ends up in the hospital. Dahlia, Josephine, Ben’s son, Matthew, and Dahlia’s former boyfriend, Jack, come together to solve the mystery of what happened to the men, unearthing many secrets along the way.
It is such a pleasure to read the work of a fellow author I care about and respect, and enjoy it so much. Marks does an exceptional of job of creating suspense and building character in a unique setting with people I won’t soon forget. LITTLE GALE GUMBO is Shakespearean in theme with its unrequited love, misunderstandings, secrets, and mysterious death. By the end of the novel, the characters are involved in a complex web of associations with one another, and Marks does a wonderful job of revealing those secrets and connections.
For me, the real heart of this novel is Camille. With her therapeutic use of voodoo, her patience with her daughters, her wisdom in dealing with her husband, and the color she brings into the lives of her girls, her rooms, and the town, she makes those around her better. If there was a “best actress in fiction” award, it would go to Camille.
As much as I loved Camille, her daughter Dahlia frustrated and stirred me. I rooted for her in spite of her stubbornness and the walls she put up. I don’t know if I could forgive her for her big secret in the novel the way others do. I will say that I read her scenes eagerly and with a great wish to see good come to her, and was pleased with her in the end.
Because of my deeply personal connections to this novel, it moved me. This is the kind of book I finished and immediately wished I could meet with a book club to discuss. If you have a book club, I highly recommend you read LITTLE GALE GUMBO, meet with your group, and stew up Marks’ recipes for Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice, and Pralines while you discuss the novel. Marks is a talented author and I look forward to more from her in the future.
They end up in the small town of Little Gale, Maine, and while the town regards the colorful Southern girls with suspicion, their landlord, Ben, a single father with a kind heart, accepts them into his rooms and his life. The five of them make an unusual group, but they soon come to love and trust one another, even starting a cafe on the island where Camille’s famous gumbo charms the home-towners.
Their lives, however, end up far from idyllic. Charles finds the women and upsets their lives every time he gets out of prison. His disruptions become more and more frustrating until finally, after many years pass, he turns up dead at Ben’s house, and Ben ends up in the hospital. Dahlia, Josephine, Ben’s son, Matthew, and Dahlia’s former boyfriend, Jack, come together to solve the mystery of what happened to the men, unearthing many secrets along the way.
It is such a pleasure to read the work of a fellow author I care about and respect, and enjoy it so much. Marks does an exceptional of job of creating suspense and building character in a unique setting with people I won’t soon forget. LITTLE GALE GUMBO is Shakespearean in theme with its unrequited love, misunderstandings, secrets, and mysterious death. By the end of the novel, the characters are involved in a complex web of associations with one another, and Marks does a wonderful job of revealing those secrets and connections.
For me, the real heart of this novel is Camille. With her therapeutic use of voodoo, her patience with her daughters, her wisdom in dealing with her husband, and the color she brings into the lives of her girls, her rooms, and the town, she makes those around her better. If there was a “best actress in fiction” award, it would go to Camille.
As much as I loved Camille, her daughter Dahlia frustrated and stirred me. I rooted for her in spite of her stubbornness and the walls she put up. I don’t know if I could forgive her for her big secret in the novel the way others do. I will say that I read her scenes eagerly and with a great wish to see good come to her, and was pleased with her in the end.
Because of my deeply personal connections to this novel, it moved me. This is the kind of book I finished and immediately wished I could meet with a book club to discuss. If you have a book club, I highly recommend you read LITTLE GALE GUMBO, meet with your group, and stew up Marks’ recipes for Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice, and Pralines while you discuss the novel. Marks is a talented author and I look forward to more from her in the future.
October 13, 2011
LITTLE GALE GUMBO, Erika Marks's debut novel, was a delight from start to finish. Did it help that the novel is set principally in Maine, one of my favorite places? Sure. Did it help that there was lots of jazz and mouth-watering descriptions of delicious Louisiana food? Sure. But in the end, it's the story, and the characters, that matter - and here Erika Marks succeeds brilliantly. She has created a tale rich with intrigue, heartache, and secrets galore, and in the Bergeron family she has created a memorable and all-too-human trio of strong women. With a cleverly structured narrative the author pulls the reader deep into the story and then refuses to let go. The result is a deeply satisfying, rewarding read. Highly recommended.
November 6, 2011
Little Gale Gumbo was not only mouthwatering with the sounds and tastes of New Orleans cooking (and recipes at the back of the book!), but it was also ripe with tension and blended with equal parts secrecy. Part mystery and many-part love story, it is a tale of betrayal, forgiveness, love, longing, regret, hope and redemption.
In this tasty debut, author Erika Marks deftly juggles multiple themes, subplots, and the multi-generational story of a group of strong women of mixed-Creole descent with voo doo-practicing heritage, as well as the men in their lives – some good, some not so good. An abusive relationship that forces mother and teenage daughters from their home in New Orleans to a small Maine island is the catalyst for the birth of Little Gale Gumbo Cafe. Even with the restaurant’s success and spectacularly comforting gumbo, the women (mother Camille, and daughters Dahlia and Josie) continue to be haunted by the past. The various secrets they have kept from one another threaten to undo them all, until – in the end – two sisters must at last reveal the truth of their actions and forge their futures.
Told in alternating past and present chapters, the two storylines unfold seamlessly and end in a crescendo. Steeped in voo doo tradition and filled with the sights and sounds of Maine, this book was a delight. And ultimately, it is testament to the power of family and forgiveness.
In this tasty debut, author Erika Marks deftly juggles multiple themes, subplots, and the multi-generational story of a group of strong women of mixed-Creole descent with voo doo-practicing heritage, as well as the men in their lives – some good, some not so good. An abusive relationship that forces mother and teenage daughters from their home in New Orleans to a small Maine island is the catalyst for the birth of Little Gale Gumbo Cafe. Even with the restaurant’s success and spectacularly comforting gumbo, the women (mother Camille, and daughters Dahlia and Josie) continue to be haunted by the past. The various secrets they have kept from one another threaten to undo them all, until – in the end – two sisters must at last reveal the truth of their actions and forge their futures.
Told in alternating past and present chapters, the two storylines unfold seamlessly and end in a crescendo. Steeped in voo doo tradition and filled with the sights and sounds of Maine, this book was a delight. And ultimately, it is testament to the power of family and forgiveness.
September 28, 2011
I was home sick the day I read Little Gale Gumbo, and thank god I had the book to keep me company. The day passed in a flash because I couldn't tear myself away from Dahlia, Josie, Ben and everyone.
What I loved about the book--other than the great writing--was the just-enough suspense. I HAD to keep reading, because I was dying to know what happened. Also, the relationships are so real. They're not always neat, or pretty, and sometimes you just want to shake one of the girls to get their head on straight--but that's life, right? Complicated and messy, but deeply felt. Which is exactly what this book is.
My only complaint is that it made me so hungry for pralines and gumbo and the best I could find in my house was Weight Watchers Mac & Cheese!
What I loved about the book--other than the great writing--was the just-enough suspense. I HAD to keep reading, because I was dying to know what happened. Also, the relationships are so real. They're not always neat, or pretty, and sometimes you just want to shake one of the girls to get their head on straight--but that's life, right? Complicated and messy, but deeply felt. Which is exactly what this book is.
My only complaint is that it made me so hungry for pralines and gumbo and the best I could find in my house was Weight Watchers Mac & Cheese!
August 31, 2011
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of LITTLE GALE GUMBO and WOW, am I glad I did! It took me a while to read, not because I’m a slow reader, but because like good home-cooking, (and speaking of which, there are great recipes at the back of it, which I’m definitely going to try) it needed to be savored and rolled on the tongue to get the full effect of its bouquets and textures. This book, about a woman and her two daughters who escape an abusive man and try to make a new life, is told in alternate scenes of present day 2002 and various flashbacks that layer this beautifully drawn story of family dynamics, love, heartache, loss and in the end, acceptance. With each chapter, more is revealed about the family and its history and though some of the secrets are shocking, never once does this book become overly dramatic or maudlin. This was an honest story of what really happens in some families and what strong, charismatic people do to not just survive and get by in this life, but to thrive and learn to love, both themselves and others. I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this book and the subtle way I, as the reader, was taken by the hand and led through the twists and turns of the lives of the three Bergeron women. I think I need to read it again to fully appreciate the layers of the story and how beautifully it is written. I’ll get to that right after I whip up some gumbo and pralines.
December 22, 2011
What can I say? This book leaves me with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I picked up the book not expecting much and I came out more than satisfied that I read this book. This part love story and part mystery will keep you reading (once it sucks you in).
I really liked the format of the story. It alternates between present day and the past. The way both stories unfold complement each other and help to slowly open the readers' eyes. I admit that I do rather like the history of how they came to be better than present day, but as the past caught up with the present, the author blended the two seams perfectly for a continuous story.
This is one story that definitely had me intrigued and feeling every emotion the characters were feeling.
Thank you Goodreads First Read Giveaway for allowing me the chance to enjoy such a delicious book.
I really liked the format of the story. It alternates between present day and the past. The way both stories unfold complement each other and help to slowly open the readers' eyes. I admit that I do rather like the history of how they came to be better than present day, but as the past caught up with the present, the author blended the two seams perfectly for a continuous story.
This is one story that definitely had me intrigued and feeling every emotion the characters were feeling.
Thank you Goodreads First Read Giveaway for allowing me the chance to enjoy such a delicious book.
January 31, 2012
How much editing, revising, and re-revising must it have taken for a debut author to create such an amazing novel? I loved this book from the beginning down to the last page.
Erika has taken great care to make the reader feel as if she is walking the streets of NOLA or riding the ferry in Maine right alongside the characters. And the characters....Erika carefully constructed each one causing the reader to love them (or to hate them in some cases).
The story itself is just as great as the characters; what a tangled web, full of secrets, traditions, and keepsakes!
When the word gets out about this wonderful little gem, everyone will be talking about Little Gale Island. And much like another fictional place (Platform 9 3/4), I wonder how long it will take before readers are trying to get there themselves!
Erika has taken great care to make the reader feel as if she is walking the streets of NOLA or riding the ferry in Maine right alongside the characters. And the characters....Erika carefully constructed each one causing the reader to love them (or to hate them in some cases).
The story itself is just as great as the characters; what a tangled web, full of secrets, traditions, and keepsakes!
When the word gets out about this wonderful little gem, everyone will be talking about Little Gale Island. And much like another fictional place (Platform 9 3/4), I wonder how long it will take before readers are trying to get there themselves!
March 7, 2016
This one disappointed me. I finally just gave up, which I've only ever done with one other book. The writing wasn't terrible, but some of the descriptions weren't as pointed as I would've liked. Events with the characters, and their overall portrayal also left something to be desired. I know others might enjoy this one, but for me it ran too near the "romance novel" line and involved characters that just weren't believable. No one becomes fully enraptured with another in a single day. Adult humans tend to have SOME modicum of hesitance toward opening up to their fellows initially, right? No? Just me? Alright then.
July 29, 2012
I find it refreshing when a book/story can sweep me up and take me away for an hour or two from whatever is going on in my life at the time. While the story has some sad moments, esp. with the domestic violence parts, it kept me engaged and anxious to get back to the story. I enjoyed the author's style of blending current storyline with the story from the past. I'll definitely keep note of Erika Marks name for future books to read (as she writes them!)!
October 16, 2011
********** THIS IS A GOODREADS WIN!!!**********
What such an amazing book. The author wrote a wonderful book. There is some jumping back into the past but the author has it written so the reader is not confused. This is a wonderful fast read. I honestly could not put it down. I can not wait to try the Gumbo recipe at the end of the book.
What such an amazing book. The author wrote a wonderful book. There is some jumping back into the past but the author has it written so the reader is not confused. This is a wonderful fast read. I honestly could not put it down. I can not wait to try the Gumbo recipe at the end of the book.
May 30, 2012
Little Gale Gumbo is a novel about family secrets, sisters, love, and voodoo. The characters are well developed and bring the story to life. The setting is a character. One of the best books I've read this year. Can't wait for the next.
July 11, 2013
Mercy! What a story. I thought I had it figured out and then I was wrong and then I was wronger. Ericka Marks simmers up a wonderful pot as complex as the real thing and equally as delicious. Fantastic!
February 6, 2012
A lovely, delicious, intriguing book. The author did an amazing job of weaving together the past and present story lines. And she made me care about her characters. Highly recommended.
November 15, 2013
I just adored all of the characters. The chain of who loves who was intriguing and how that affected their lives. Plus a little mystery in the mix. Great!
October 12, 2011
Little Gale Gumbo by Erika Marks
Contemporary Romance -Oct. 4th, 2011
4 stars
Camille Bergeron left New Orleans and an abusive husband and fled to Little Gale, Maine to start a new life with her two daughters Dahlia and Josie. Embarking on a new life, she and Ben Haskell opened up a new restaurant, the Little Gale Gumbo Cafe. Winning over her new neighbors with her delicious home-cooking, Camille and her daughters soon become a part of the community and Ben’s family. Dahlia, Josie, and Ben’s son, Matthew. They grew up together as close as siblings. But Matthew has always harbored a crushed on brash, fiery Dahlia, while quiet and shy Josie has always wished Matthew would look ‘look’ at her. As they grew up, Dahlia had a on-and-off romance with Jack, the sherriff, while Josie married Wayne, a local boy. Yet, the love triangle between Matthew, Dahlia, and Josie was never completely resolved. When Ben falls into a coma, and Matthew comes back, old secrets from the pasts resurfaces and threatens all three of them and their lives...
Little Gale Gumbo’s is as complex and meaty read. This book is about the romantic triangles of the two generations. Camille, Ben, and Camille’s husband (who occasionally reappears and cause trouble) and Dahlia-Josie-Matthew-and-Jack. Dahlia couldn’t forget Jack, her one true love, but because of her dastardly father, couldn’t bring herself to open her heart to Jack again. Jack loves Dahlia, but was heartbroken when they broke up. He went on to marry another and have a child. In the end, he was divorced and concluded that he had never forgotten Dahlia. Matthew is Dahlia’s bounce-back guy, but she is only using him. Poor Matthew could never face the fact that Dahlia never really loves him along. But, he’s not exactly a good guy either as he keeps stringing Josie along. Josie, who never forgot Matthew, nearly destroyed her own marriage with Wayne because she can never let go of the past.
Even though this book is complicated, I still enjoyed every bit of it. Some parts were really heartbreaking. My favorite couple in the book is Camille and Ben. They truly deserve each other, especially since Camille had to put up with her horrible husband. The relationship between Dahlia, Josie, and Matthew were a little too drama and soap opera for me, but I like that Josie finally chose her husband over Matthew. Wayne is such a nice guy and way too understanding. There were also a bunch of twists at the end of the novel, which I didn’t see coming.
All in all, this is a thoughtful, complex read that should be savored slowly.
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Club
Contemporary Romance -Oct. 4th, 2011
4 stars
Camille Bergeron left New Orleans and an abusive husband and fled to Little Gale, Maine to start a new life with her two daughters Dahlia and Josie. Embarking on a new life, she and Ben Haskell opened up a new restaurant, the Little Gale Gumbo Cafe. Winning over her new neighbors with her delicious home-cooking, Camille and her daughters soon become a part of the community and Ben’s family. Dahlia, Josie, and Ben’s son, Matthew. They grew up together as close as siblings. But Matthew has always harbored a crushed on brash, fiery Dahlia, while quiet and shy Josie has always wished Matthew would look ‘look’ at her. As they grew up, Dahlia had a on-and-off romance with Jack, the sherriff, while Josie married Wayne, a local boy. Yet, the love triangle between Matthew, Dahlia, and Josie was never completely resolved. When Ben falls into a coma, and Matthew comes back, old secrets from the pasts resurfaces and threatens all three of them and their lives...
Little Gale Gumbo’s is as complex and meaty read. This book is about the romantic triangles of the two generations. Camille, Ben, and Camille’s husband (who occasionally reappears and cause trouble) and Dahlia-Josie-Matthew-and-Jack. Dahlia couldn’t forget Jack, her one true love, but because of her dastardly father, couldn’t bring herself to open her heart to Jack again. Jack loves Dahlia, but was heartbroken when they broke up. He went on to marry another and have a child. In the end, he was divorced and concluded that he had never forgotten Dahlia. Matthew is Dahlia’s bounce-back guy, but she is only using him. Poor Matthew could never face the fact that Dahlia never really loves him along. But, he’s not exactly a good guy either as he keeps stringing Josie along. Josie, who never forgot Matthew, nearly destroyed her own marriage with Wayne because she can never let go of the past.
Even though this book is complicated, I still enjoyed every bit of it. Some parts were really heartbreaking. My favorite couple in the book is Camille and Ben. They truly deserve each other, especially since Camille had to put up with her horrible husband. The relationship between Dahlia, Josie, and Matthew were a little too drama and soap opera for me, but I like that Josie finally chose her husband over Matthew. Wayne is such a nice guy and way too understanding. There were also a bunch of twists at the end of the novel, which I didn’t see coming.
All in all, this is a thoughtful, complex read that should be savored slowly.
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Club
October 11, 2011
I won this book through goodreads giveaways so I hate to give it only one star (didn't like it). Don't let the cover fool you - this is not a happy story about a woman taking her children from New Orleans to Maine to start a new life on their own. It's about domestic violence. The story is told in flashbacks and I was beginning to dread what else was going to be revealed, especially about the horrid Dahlia.
I looked at all the books I have on my to-read list and realised I just didn't have the time to read something I wasn't enjoying, so gave up on it before finishing and, I must admit, before I found out what Dahlia had really done.
There are probably readers out there (as evidenced by the other reviews) who would love this book, so I'll donate it to my local library. Again, sorry I couldn't give it five stars but the choices are for how you liked it, not whether it was a good, well-written story.
I looked at all the books I have on my to-read list and realised I just didn't have the time to read something I wasn't enjoying, so gave up on it before finishing and, I must admit, before I found out what Dahlia had really done.
There are probably readers out there (as evidenced by the other reviews) who would love this book, so I'll donate it to my local library. Again, sorry I couldn't give it five stars but the choices are for how you liked it, not whether it was a good, well-written story.
October 20, 2011
This was a FirstReads Winner!
My best recommendation for this book is the fact that I picked this up and could not put it down until I was done. Literally, it was impossible too. Drawn into the spellbinding story of a woman and her kids, transplanted by bravery to escape abuse, drawn into a skeptical but eventually warming community. The struggles of sisters who have to decide what secrets to keep and which ones that it has become time to tell. A story of love, the fire burning passionate and dying quickly kind and the type that becomes a story in it's own right over years.
The interweaving of the different time lines and the incredibly crafted twists of personal vs. family bonds is simply wonderful.
It has definitely earned a place on my bookshelf to be read and read again.
My best recommendation for this book is the fact that I picked this up and could not put it down until I was done. Literally, it was impossible too. Drawn into the spellbinding story of a woman and her kids, transplanted by bravery to escape abuse, drawn into a skeptical but eventually warming community. The struggles of sisters who have to decide what secrets to keep and which ones that it has become time to tell. A story of love, the fire burning passionate and dying quickly kind and the type that becomes a story in it's own right over years.
The interweaving of the different time lines and the incredibly crafted twists of personal vs. family bonds is simply wonderful.
It has definitely earned a place on my bookshelf to be read and read again.
July 17, 2013
This is a delightful story of a brave Creole woman, Camille, who leaves her home in New Orleans with her 2 daughters in order to escape an abusive husband. She is headed to Canada but never quite makes it and instead, settles on a island off the coast of Portland, Maine, Little Gale. At first the islanders don't know quite what to make of this unlikely threesome on a largely white island....but Camille's gumbo and other Creole/Cajun specialties win them over. I didn't quite understand the love interest subplots....did both sisters love Matthew (their landlord's son) or just one? Did Matthew wind up with Holly from Florida? In any case, Little Gale Gumbo is worth picking up. I especially LOVED the recipes at the back of the book! A plus!
September 25, 2011
I received this book from goodreads firstreads giveaways. I really enjoyed this book, although it actually quite sad, with domestic violence and unrequited love. It tells the story of a woman and her two daughters, on the run from her violent husband, they leave New Orleans and end up on a small island on the coast of Maine. I grew up in Maine, as did the author, and while I often roll my eyes at fictionalized Maine, she did a very good job, right down the to name of the old department store. Part love story, part dysfunctional family story, with a bit of mystery thrown in.
August 14, 2013
I was warned that the number of characters made the story tough to follow, and that turned out to be true for me, so I retread the beginning to get them straight. However, then the time switches compounded that, and now that I've finished, I'm wondering who is going to get Matthew? What will he do when he returns, other than take care of his father? Won't it be tough knowing about Dahlia's pregnancy and now she will be with Jack? Descriptive, natural sounding language gives strong sense of place and good character development.
August 3, 2015
Great beach read. This is the second book I've read by this author. So much of her novels is told in flashbacks, it can get a little confusing at times. But one thing I really like is that the books aren't really "romancy." There are always love stories involved, but they don't hijack the plot, and there's no gratuitous sex scenes. I like that, I don't need the ridiculous descriptions about heaving what-nots. So, if you're looking for some light summer reading that can still hold your attention, this is a good pick.
January 17, 2016
Another really good debut novel! Loved this story, set in New Orleans and Maine-unforgettable characters and a great story of an exploration of family with secrets that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. I didn't want it to end and looking forward to more of Erika Marks books. Also some good Cajun recipes included!
October 30, 2011
Engaging characters, real dialog, interesting features of New Orleans voodoo and fantastic cuisine. I had trouble putting it down, and miss the characters now that I'm done. Marks keeps the story moving with twists and turns. Love the way she moves from present time to past and back.
Definitely a good read.
Can't wait to try out the praline recipe.
Definitely a good read.
Can't wait to try out the praline recipe.
October 8, 2012
This book seemed to take forever for me to read.
I had issues with the jumping back and forth in time because I felt it really broke the story up at the wrong times.
The ending really fell flat too. The secrets were never truely revealed to those that should have known the truth.
Little disappointing.
I had issues with the jumping back and forth in time because I felt it really broke the story up at the wrong times.
The ending really fell flat too. The secrets were never truely revealed to those that should have known the truth.
Little disappointing.
October 29, 2011
This was a very good book. The only issues I had with it was that it kept bouncing back and fourth from 1961 - 2002. It is just personal preference but I like to read in the exact timeline from start to finish. The story was great!
August 23, 2012
If this is a first novel, I can't wait to read more. The characters were nicely original and well developed, the plot lines were thoughtful, the writing fun and compassionate. Well Done!!
I am so glad to see new authors like Erica Marks emerge on the scene!
I am so glad to see new authors like Erica Marks emerge on the scene!
November 3, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! I liked the way the secrets were revealed and I loved the characters. I am glad there are recipes in the back of the book because the story gave me a craving for Creole food.
December 31, 2011
I was confused by the characters and how they interplayed. The jumping back and forth in time didn't help either. but in the end it all fit together and made for a good read.
February 9, 2012
Well described. Hats off to debut novelist. Expecting more to read !
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